Alameda County DA Price holds town hall in Fremont

Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price had another one of her town halls where she answered residents’ questions, and tensions again ran high as some of her critics were in attendance.

Before the town hall in Fremont even started, a group of people involved with efforts to recall Price stood outside of Niles Discovery Church with signs.

Virginia Nishita, the wife of Kevin Nishita, was there. Kevin was shot while protecting a news crew in Oakland. He died in November of 2021.

Virginia said she’s been wanting to meet with Price but has been told that she’s busy.

“What about us? What about my family? What about the victims of this crime? We’ve got the reporter, the cameraman, the person standing next to Kevin. I’m the voice for Kevin,” Virginia said.

During the town hall, Virginia sat inside the church listening to Price.

Price, at one point, was asked by the moderator how she and her department are listening to victims of crime.

“We are in communication with victims across the board,” Price said.

That’s when Virginia got up and said she couldn’t believe what Price had just said. She yelled Kevin’s name as she walked out.

There were other moments where people spoke up as Price was talking about restorative justice. Price said restorative justice is about making sure that victims have the opportunity to hold the people who harmed them accountable.

Someone in the audience yelled, “That’s a lie.”

Price continued answering questions that people submitted when signing up for the town hall.  

Price said addressing mental health for those who are incarcerated is one of her priorities. She also talked about working with youth, adding that there aren’t enough programs for young people.

“This is why we have to stop investing in incarceration and start investing in education,” Price said.